Lift-bridge.



No. 635,394. Patented Oct. 24, I899. A. .RUTHE'NBERG.

LIFT BRIDGE. (Application filed May 5, 1899.3

3 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

Inventor.

W itnesses.

No. 635,394. Patented Opt. 24, I899.

A. RUTHENBEBG.

' LIFT BRIDGE.

(Application filed May 5, 1899.)

(No Model,) 3 Shouts-Sheet 2,

Witnesses. [a w i;

Inventor.

Attorney.

No. 35,394. P'atenfed Oct. 24,1899. A.IB-UTHENBERG.

L l FT B B D G E (Applicafion filed. May 5, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Shoat 3,

=(No Model.)

Witnesses.

Attorneys THE "cams wzvzns ca. PHOTO-DINO WASHWGYON, o. c

PATEN AUGUST RUTHENBERG, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO CHARLES E. KOHLMETZ, OF SAME PLACE.

LIFT-BRIDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,394, dated October 24, 1899.

Application filed May 5, 1899.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST RUTHENBERG, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lift-Bridges; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to that class of devices known as lift-bridges, and has for its obj eat to provide a structure that is capable of being raised or lowered without requiring an overhead or super structure; and to this and other ends myinvention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter described and the novel features pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a bridge constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view showing the bridge in elevated position; Fig. 3, an enlarged plan view of the operat ing mechanism located at each end of the structure; Fig. 4, a vertical sectional view on the line .90 00 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a diagrammatic view of the regulating-valves and the piping connections to the cylinders; Fig.6, a sec tional view on the line y y of Fig. 2.

Similar reference-numerals indicate similar parts.

My invention is particularly adapted for canal-bridges, in the construction of which it is either necessary to build a permanent elevated structure or to provide a bridge that is capable of being raised or lowered to permit the passage of a boat.

1 indicates the bridge-arches extending over the canal and supporting the platform of the bridge, consisting of the horizontal portion constituting the roadway 2, arranged between the arches, and the walks 3, located preferably upon the outside thereof. Excavations are made in each bank, forming the pits 4,'which extend across each end of the bridge and to a depth somewhat below the bottom of the Serial No. 715,736- (No model.)

canal. The sides of the pit are supported by -1nasonry or iron work 5, and the pavement 6 11, extending over drums or pulleys 12, supported in bearings 13, arranged upon pillars 14 and attached at their other ends to counterweights 15. Each counterweight is of substantially the width of the bridge and is attached to the supports 10 upon the same end of the bridge and adapted as the bridge is elevated to descend in the pit, assisting in its elevation, so that the additional power required for the manipulation of the bridge is very slight, or, if desired, the weight of the counterbalances may be increased, so as to raise the bridge, and the power applied only to lower the structure. Owing to the difliculty of accurately determining the weight of the bridge and the difficulty and expense of manufacturing and handling the counterbalances, I provide a construction embodying the rectangular casing 16, strengthened by partitions 17, dividing the whole into several compartments, which are adapted to be filled with any heavy materialsuch as scrap-iron, sand, iron ore, or similar materialuntil the desired weight is obtained.

Arranged upon the side faces of each column or support 10 are rack-bars 18, adapted to mesh with gears 20, mounted upon shafts 21, journaled in bearings 22, located upon the sides or near the tops of the pits 4. Bevel-gears 23 and a longitudinal shaft 24, mounted in bearings 25, connect the pinions 20 for simultaneous operation and also afford a means for their operation from a single motor device. Conveniently located on the shafts 24 are drums 26, upon which are wound and attached at one end cables or chains 27, secured at their opposite extremities to piston-rods 28, operating in the cylinders 29. These motors may be of any desired form; but I have shown the usual form, consisting of a single cylinder provided with a piston and adapted to be operated by hydraulic pressure from the city water-mains or other convenient source of supply affording the necessary pressure. The pistons in the two cylinders at opposite ends of the bridge are adapted to be operated simultaneously, and to accomplish this I employ a pipe or conduit 30, connecting the cylinders, and joined at a point midway between them is apipe connection 31, leading from the main supply and provided with the regulating gate or cock 32. A discharge-pipe 33, provided with a gate or cook 34: and connected with the pipe 21, permits the escape of the water from the cylinders after the pistons in the latter have been operated and it is desired to return the bridge to its normal position. The gates or cocks 32 and Si may be operated singly, the latter being opened only after the close of the former and then being closed upon the return of the bridge to the normal position, so that when the gate 32 is again opened the water will pass directly to the cylinders and operate the pistons, or they may be connected for simultaneous operation in any manner whereby the opening or closing of one would operate the other in the opposite direction.

The bridge structure is guided in its vertical movements by means of the ways 35 on the faces of the columns operating in guides 36, provided upon the abutments 37, which latter also form housings for the cable-pulleys 12, as shown. two ends of the bridge is equalized to prevent the structure from beingjammed or cramped in the guides by a movement of either end thereof in advance of the other by means of a connection between the operating mechanism, consisting in the present instance of the bevel-gears 40, connecting the shafts 24 with the shafts 42, and the gears 41, connecting the latter with the transverse shaft 43, located in the tunnel and extending from pit to pit. By this arrangement it will be seen that any irregularity in the movement of the pistons will be equalized and the two ends of the bridge elevated simultaneously.

The operation of the bridge will now be understood. The discharge-valve 34: being closed, the supply-valve 32 is opened, allowing the water under pressure to fiowinto the cylinders 29, operating the pistons and revolving the drums 26 and the shafts 24c, raising the bridge by means of the racks 11 and the pinions 20, the counterbalances descending in the pits, as shown in Fig. 2.

It will be understood that other arrangements of the rack-bars and pinions could be employed between the motor appliances and the supports or columns; but I prefer the con- The movement between the.

struction shown, as I am enabled by properly proportioning the gears to employ comparatively small cylinders.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a lift-bridge, the combination with the bridge-platform provided with the downwardly extending columns at the corners movable therewith, and the racks on said columns, of a series of pinions mounted in stationary bearings and engaging the racks, connections between the pinions for causing their simultaneous operation, and motor devices for applying power directly to the pinions to raise and lower the bridge.

2. In a bridge, the combination with the platform having the downward-projecting columns or supports at the corners and the counterbalances connected thereto, of the rack-bars on the supports, the pinions meshing therewith, and motor devices operating the latter.

3. In a lift-bridge, the combination with the platform having the downwardly-extending columns orsupports at the corners, of the rack-bars on the supports, the pinions meshing therewith, those upon the same end of the bridge being connected for simultaneous operation, and a single motor device adapted to operate both pinions.

4. In a lift-bridge, the combination with the platform having the downwardly-extending columns or supports and the counterbalances arranged at each end of the bridge, and connected to the supports, of the racks mounted upon the supports, the pinions meshing therewith, and connections between those upon the same end of the bridge for causing their simultaneous operation, and a motor device for operating the pinions.

5. In a lift-bridge, the combination with the platform having the downwardly-extending columns or supports arranged upon its opposite ends, and the counter-balances connected thereto and adapted to operate beneath the surface of the ground, of the rackbars mounted upon the supports, the pinions meshing therewith, and the motors for operating the latter.

6. In a lift-bridge, the combination with the platform having the downwardly-projecting columns or supports at the corners, of the pulleys, the cables extending over them and connected at one end to the supports, and at the other to the counterbalances, and the racks arranged upon the supports, the pinions meshing therewith, and motor devices for rotating the pinions.

'7. In a lift-bridge, the combination with the arches supporting the platform having the downwardly-extending columns or supports upon their opposite extremities, of motor devices connected to the supports upon each end of the bridge, and connected for simultaneous operation.

8. In a lift-bridge, the combination with the arches supporting the platform having ingtherewith and connectedfor simultaneous the downwardly-extending columns or supoperation, and motor devices for operating ports upon their opposite extremities, of the the pinions.

pulleys and the cables extending over them v AUGUST RUTHENBERG. 5 and connected upon their opposite ends to Witnesses:

the supports and counterweights, the rack- OHAs. E. KOHLMETZ,

bars on the supports, the pinions intermesh- F. F. CHURCH. 

